Police on Wednesday identified a bicyclist they say pushed a woman to the ground and sexually attacked her on Pier 40 on the Hudson River Greenway jogging path in Lower Manhattan in March.
The 39-year-old woman was jogging north on the Hudson Square path near Clarkson and West streets around 6:15 a.m. on March 27 when cops say the bicyclist, identified by police as Carl Phanor, rode up to her.
He started choking the woman after shoving her to the ground, then sexually assaulted her before grabbing her cellphone and riding off.
The woman was taken to a hospital for evaluation. She suffered bruises and injuries.
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The violent incident had many in the neighborhood, particularly women, worried as many locals frequent Hudson River Park. That includes Sara Lipson, a local who goes to the park for her daily workout.
"It's very unfortunate," she said, calling for a greater police presence "on the street and where people exercise at odd hours."
Meanwhile, Jim Brown, another local, said that one can't ever assume a "place is a safe place just because it's open and well-lit."
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Police released surveillance footage of the suspect, and additional images of Phanor on Tuesday. The video shows the suspect riding his bike around West Street and Charles Lane just moments before the attack on the woman.
Police described the 28-year-old Phanor as about 5'5, about 130 pounds with black hair. Anyone with information in regard to the whereabouts of Phanor is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).
